Costars Open Up About Star Trek’s Most Notorious Cast Member
In a weird twist, the most controversial actor to ever perform in Star Trek has had nothing to do with the franchise since 1979. Stephen Collins played Commander Decker in Star Trek: The Motion Picture, a performance that was retroactively sullied by his admission to People in 2014 to “inappropriate sexual conduct with three female minors,” an admission that came after a police investigation. Now, three actors from Collins’ show 7th Heaven have opened up about his confession and how they do not condone any such behavior.
7th Heaven Stars Condemn Stephen Collins Behavior
The exact motivation behind this statement is simple: Beverley Mitchell, David Gallagher and Mackenzie Rosman all played siblings on the TV show 7th Heaven, and they have started a rewatch podcast called Catching Up With The Camdens. Before diving in, Mitchell noted that “it’s important that we say something about Stephen Collins” because, as Rosman says, “it would be impossible not to talk about Stephen because he was such a big part of the show and our lives.”
Rosman wanted to clarify that none of them had “any inappropriate experiences” But that “We do not excuse or condone his behavior.”
Ripping Off The Band-Aid
Talking about the Stephen Collins controversy before they even begin recapping an episode may sound like a bold move, but it’s the equivalent of ripping off the band-aid for the many fans of the show. If the stars never said anything, many listeners would begin speculating if they were just going to ignore the issue altogether, and that speculation would likely lead to some unflattering headlines.
By addressing their TV dad’s confessions of inappropriate sexual conduct with underage girls right away, these actors can move past this uncomfortable conversation and focus on helping listeners enjoy 7th Heaven all over again.
Focusing On The Good That Came From 7th Heaven
Rosman certainly made this clear: after emphasizing that they do not make any excuses for Stephen Collins, she said “Our hope for this podcast is to reconnect with you, our fans, to relive some ’90s nostalgia and to share our fondest memories of 7th Heaven.”
Gallagher pointed out that “it can be triggering” to discuss scenes with the actor but emphasize that “we love you guys, and we are so grateful for all the love and support that you, our community, have shown to us.” The group also confirmed that Collins would not make any appearances on the podcast.
Favorite TV Dad Was Hiding A Secret
If you’ve never seen 7th Heaven before, you may be wondering why one actor’s major scandal could be enough to sully fans’ memories of the entire show. In short, Stephen Collins played a Protestant minister and patriarch of a profoundly Christian family. He was basically the face of the entire show, and having the mascot of a family values TV series admitting to sexual misconduct against minors was enough for many to consider the show’s messages very hypocritical.
Out Of Hollywood For A Decade And Counting
As for Stephen Collins, his career certainly suffered after he admitted to this misconduct, and he hasn’t acted in anything at all since 2014. Still, he’s not exactly a household name among television audiences, and the far bigger scandals of superstars like Diddy might be enough for many to forget (assuming they knew about it at all) Collins’ own scandalous behavior.
But the very nature of this rewatch podcast means that fans of 7th Heaven would be constantly exposed to stories about and perhaps sound clips from someone who previously admitted to monstrous behavior.
Catching Up With The Camdens
By giving this disclaimer at the front, the stars of Catching Up With the Camdens are hoping to put the controversies of Stephen Collins behind them. This was likely a wise decision, though only time will tell whether their new podcast proves to be a hit or not.
As fans of 7th Heaven might say, the podcast’s success or failure is now in the hands of a higher power…or, at the very least, in the hands of some very bored commuters who need something new to listen to.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
